The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1887-05-05
Democracy Defined.

definite idea to those who have intel
ligence sufficient to comprehend the
real meaning of the term. A genu-
inc Democrat is not simply man
who affiiates with the Democratic
party or votes the Democratic ticket.
He is the man who believes in Dem
cratic principles and who upholds the
party organization in order to pro-
mote the establishment of these
principles, and their perpetuation in
the policy of the Government.
In q recent speech at Covington,
Kentucky, Hon. John G.. Carlisle
took occasion to define Democracy,
and he did so in a most admirable
and effective manner. He said:
81 want to say to all Democrats
that we would be unworthy of our
name if we allowed any number of
reverses to dishearten us. The
growth of the Democratic party in
the last twenty-five years has been
wonderful. At the close of the war
we were entirely out of power; we
had no Offices or patronage, and were
practically ostracised from share in
the affairs of the Government. The
Democracy had a political faith
founded on the principles of Jeffer-
son, and they fought for it gallantly,
without hope of reward. There has
never been time since 1876, when
the majority of the people were not
in favor of the principles of the Dem
ocratic party. I want to impress
upon you the necessity of standing
to your principles in any emergency
and at all elections, no matter how
small and unilnportant they may
seem to be. No party can be sue
cessful in any country unless it has
principles upon which it will stake its
existence before the people. This
country is full of vagaries on the
powers of Government. Some want
it to become a great eleemosynary
institution for the care of everybody;
some want it to purchase the rail-
roads and telegraph lines; some want
it to interfere with the peoples pri-
vate business; some want it to loan
money to INDECENT people. 1t is i'm
possible to enumerate the schemes to
rob the tax payers for the benefit of
somebody else. We must overcome
the Socialistic theories abroad in the
land. We must stand everywhere
for the protection of both capital and
labor. We must stand everywhere
for the rights of men to do business
with their own money in their own
way. If the Democratic party does
not do this it might as well cease to
exist"
In other words Democracy means
that the people shall rule themselves
through their chosen representatives,
and this not in name merely but in
reality. 1t is government "of the
people, by the people, for the people, :"
and not by class of the people and
for the benefit of particular favor
ed class. The leading principle is
that of ''the greatest good to the
greatest NUMBER" and it necessarily
involves the highest conception of
patriotism and the broadcast realiza-
ton of the inherent rights of man.
Democracy Demands that the pow
ers of the Government shall be ex-
ercised for public purposes and not
for the purpose of building up priv
LEGGED classes, or the enriching of
one class of citizens at the expense
of the people at large.
The fundamental principles of the
Democratic party are what has given
it the wonderful vitality that has pre-
served it during many years of ad-
versity, and that secures for it the
answering confidence of the masses
IF tho y,oov,lo IA hoe a,,u:J II